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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27266665">In Flux</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang'>idrilhadhafang</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Kylo Ren Redemption, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Past Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Slow Burn Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel Fix-It</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:20:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,209</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27266665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ben is given the opportunity to go back and fix the night the Temple burned down, he takes it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bad Day Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue: Anakin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/slinden/gifts">slinden</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I own nothing.</p><p>Author’s Notes: Call it a variation on Backwards With Clarity where Ben and Poe know each other here.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Ben woke in the afterlife, he saw that he was in an all-too-familiar place — far too familiar. Adani — he supposed that it was fitting that he end up here, in the site that was one of his first failures. </p><p>And his grandfather — it had been seven years. How long had it been since he had hoped that Anakin Skywalker would appear? How long had it been since he had wanted him to at least answer him, just this once?</p><p>”Where were you?” Ben demanded. </p><p>Anakin spoke just then. “Ben — ”</p><p>“I waited for you,” Ben said. “I called out for you. And you weren’t there.”</p><p>”I tried to be.” Anakin said softly. “Force Ghosts have their limitations, including where they appear. The Dark — there was something blocking me there. It was why Obi-Wan couldn’t appear to your uncle at Bespin. If I could have been there for you, Ben, I would have.”</p><p>”You could have tried harder!”</p><p>Ben didn’t miss the look of pain on Anakin’s face. </p><p>”No, I shouldn’t say that. It was all me,” Ben said. “The killing, the torturing, the burning, all of it. And what I did to the man I love...”</p><p>He paused. Even thinking about Poe hurt. </p><p>“And then there was Rey,” Ben said. “Force, doing <em>that </em>to Poe...I should be damned just for that. To say nothing of torturing him...”</p><p>Even the fact that he had been forced into it...did it really change anything? Did it change the fact that he had very likely ruined Poe’s life? Shattered him, in the worst way imaginable? </p><p>Anakin looked at him, and Ben could feel the heavy sorrow in it. “You could say that we’re not that dissimilar then,” he said. "Poe and Padme, me and you...we really aren’t that dissimilar.”</p><p>"No.” Ben almost wanted to cry, even though he couldn’t, in this form. “We aren’t that dissimilar.”</p><p>”I couldn’t save myself,” Anakin said. “But...I can save you. I want to give you a second chance, because you, our family, the galaxy...we all deserve so much more than this.”</p><p>Ben thought about it. The chance to go back, to make things right...it was too wonderful to be logical. To be able to right his mistakes...</p><p>And it would be the right thing to do, wouldn’t it? Saving people. Saving the lives of others. Saving himself.</p><p>It would just be right...</p><p>”Yeah,” he said. “We all deserve better.”</p><p>”Then,” Anakin said, “We better get to it.”</p><p>”Grandfather — ”</p><p>Anakin smiled, faintly. “I know.”</p><p>Ben could all but see the swirls of color surrounding him even as he was thrown back. Back to the start, back to the very beginning of his becoming Kylo Ren, where the Temple was yet to be destroyed, Luke was yet to try and betray his own principles, and Poe was there. Before everything. Before all of it. </p><p><em>Save the galaxy, </em>Anakin said. <em>Save yourself</em>. </p><p>And Ben knew he would. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Luke</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ben wakes up in the new timeline.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing. </p><p>Author’s Notes: Shit, it’s been a while since I actually updated something like this...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was one of those times when Ben actually woke up in his bed and realized that he was twenty-three again — something that he hadn’t been in at least...stars, seven years. Seven years of wasting his life. Seven years of doing unspeakable things. Seven years...wasted. </p><p>It was enough to make Ben wince. </p><p><em>There’s no time to wallow in self-pity, </em>Anakin said to him. <em>The best you can do is fix this before it happens</em>. </p><p>And it was there that Ben could at least get up. Stand on his own two feet, at bare minimum.</p><p>He had to stand. Had to act. </p><p>***</p><p>”Uncle Luke? Can I talk to you about something?”</p><p>It was still jarring to see Luke younger. It was still jarring to see Luke at all. Ben could still remember his uncle on the battlefield of Crait, openly taunting him. The look in his eyes — was it hatred? Ben thought he had felt a sort of resignation, thought he had felt a sort of sorrow, like Luke had thought that he had butchered things beyond repair. </p><p>“No problem, Ben.” Still that unease. Still that feeling like Ben was some sort of minefield that Luke had to be careful not to set off. "Go ahead.”</p><p>”I had a nightmare last night. And...”</p><p>Even talking about the details of the “nightmare”, he could only watch Luke’s face go almost colorless with horror. </p><p>“It...could be a stress nightmare,” Luke said. “But given the nightmares and visions that I’ve been having lately...I just don’t know."</p><p>”I don’t know either.” That was a lie. It was a good thing, at least, that Ben had his shields up. </p><p>If Luke found out the truth, would he even believe it?</p><p>Luke sighed. “Actually, Ben, there is a way. Come with me.”</p><p>***</p><p>”Those are holocrons from the Old Republic era,” Luke said, even as he opened the cabinet containing them. </p><p>“I thought it was High Republic,” Ben said. </p><p>Luke chuckled wryly. “Old Republic, High Republic...they’re different names for the same thing.” Then, “Ben...there’s something I want to show you. Atton Rand’s holocron.”</p><p>He pulled out the holocron, a holocron that looked worn with time. </p><p>“Atton was a former Sith assassin,” Luke said. “A Sith assassin turned hero. He did terrible things as a Sith, but he was able to turn around when it really mattered. There’s still been some debate as to his...relationship with the last Jedi he killed — ”</p><p>”Ugh, Uncle. Weird.”</p><p>” — but he did turn back. If he can do it...well, even if you did fall, Ben, I’d have faith that you’d turn back to the Light."</p><p>Ben almost wanted to interject that he already had, but then again...did it count when he just saved one person? He still had a lot to do. </p><p>“Well, we might as well give it a try,” he said. </p><p>***</p><p>Atton gave good advice, at least. There was something fascinating about learning about the different ways to block your mind off from mental attacks — and it made Ben wonder why his mother hadn’t bothered to teach him before. Why his mother hadn’t taught him anything. </p><p>But then again, she had reached out to him to let him know she forgave him. There was that, at least. </p><p>Ben forced his thoughts away from the bleak trajectory they’d taken, forced himself to focus on what Atton was saying. Well, Atton’s recording. Same sentiment. </p><p>***</p><p>”I think it’s best to put what we learned to the test,” Luke said. “Shall we?”</p><p>Ben nodded. </p><p>“I’m going to attempt to read your mind, Ben,” Luke said gently. “Just...think of anything to resist me. Even dull Jedi texts.”</p><p>Ben closed his eyes. He was already afraid, but...maybe he could think of it as payback. Payback for Luke reading his mind in that other timeline, the bad timeline, and deciding he was a monster. </p><p>He pictured a better memory. He and Poe, playing sabaac together in the main hold. He and Poe, together. As they should have been. </p><p>He pictured it, swelling up to the surface, and thought about it with all he had.</p><p>***</p><p>”You’re...good, Ben,” Luke said. “You really threw me out of your head.”</p><p>Ben nodded. “I guess that’s good.”</p><p>”It’s very good,” Luke said. “Because that way, we have a chance.”</p>
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